GODZILLA FEST San Francisco 2010
by zillagirl84
Summary: AU Crossover CharmedBuffyGodzilla Godzilla is attacking San Francisco. What will the girls do? Cater the Underworld's biggest party, of course! A WILLOW IN THORNS SERIES FIC.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Charmed is the property of Aaron Spelling, Constance M Burge, and the WB; Buffy, the Vampire Slayer is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Godzilla is the creation of Inoshiro Honda and Eiji Tsurubaya and Toho Pictures. The photo below is courtesy of Bill Kendrick at New Breed Software.

**Summary: **Godzilla is attacking San Francisco. What will the girls do? Cater the Underworld's biggest party, of course!

**Author's Note: **This is kind of daydream of mine. I'm a big Godzilla fan. (Hence, the name zillagirl.) I know that this concept is totally ludicrous. Just a laugh of mine. This is a set in the same alternate universe as my other stories "A Willow In Thorns," "A Knight Meets An Angel," and "Get Me To The Church On Time." It is primarily a Charmed-centric story; however, the Turners may appear in a supporting capacity. Furthermore, this story is set in 2010, a year later than "A Willow In Thorns."

**Chapter One: The Pre-Game Show**

Part One

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige – the Charmed Ones – were glued to the television. The Emergency Broadcast System had been activated. The Army, Marines, and the National Guard were all heading to the Bay. It was crazy. Apparently some giant radioactive demon – a Japanese giant radioactive demon – was heading their way. Of course, the news called it a dinosaur – but the girls knew better. It was definitely a demon. The news wouldn't call it a demon, such things were unknown in the mortal world.

They had a shot of the creature in the water. You could see it clearly – it was huge. It was said to be 300 feet tall and estimated to weigh over 20,000 tons! The girls looked at themselves nervously. How do you vanquish something that large? They turned back to the television, listening to the update.

"...The Japanese have identified this dinosaur – or monster – as the creature they know as Gojira, or Godzilla. They allege that it was awoken and mutated by the 1954 hydrogen bomb tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll. No evidence supports this allegation. The State Department denies all responsibility and claims the Japanese allegation is spurious and irresponsible..."

The girls jumped at least a foot in the air as they saw the familiar blue-white orbs of their white lighter coalesce between them and the television. Piper jumped up and embraced her husband. "Leo, thank God! What did the Elders say? Is there a spell to---"

"Piper, Piper." Leo soothed. "Please calm down. What the Elders told me isn't very encouraging."

Piper sat down next to her sisters. They exchanged a worried look. What is it? No spell? "The thing is... The Elders say you can't do anything. You have to leave this up to the mortals."

"WHAT!" The three of them yelled in unison. Piper massaged her swollen belly, pregnant with the daughter she'd been waiting for. "Leo, it's a demon!"

"No." Huh? "It's not. It's just what the broadcasts have said. It's a dinosaur. Just like the Japanese have said. It was created by the atomic blast tests in the Pacific. I met some white lighters that died the first time it attacked in Japan. They say it's karma. The Americans created it, now they will have to deal with the consequences."

"What?" Phoebe erupted.

"Phoebe, calm down. It's like a hurricane or an earthquake. Godzilla is an act of nature. That's why you have to leave this to the mortals. Anyway, there is a good side to all this, believe it or not."

"This I have to hear." Paige groaned, popping another piece of ginger in her mouth. It felt like her stomach was continually upset. She really needed to see Xander. Why wasn't he here? She'd just discovered she was 6 weeks pregnant and she really needed to tell him. She was sure that her sisters suspected something. Thankfully, she didn't think Leo knew.

Leo groaned inwardly. Paige still hadn't told him what he knew to be the truth. He knew she was suffering, she wanted to tell the father first. Damn those Elders! Maybe Xander was right, they were too cut off from humanity. But now, he had to drop his real bombshell. He'd felt shellshocked when the Elders told him what was coming... "The thing is, apparently the Underworld is going to take a day off."

"WHAT!" The girls could NOT believe what they were hearing. A day off? Evil? It was ludicrous!

Leo chuckled, he knew that would go over well. "Yeah, apparently, whenever something like this happens, they announce an Underworld-wide holiday. All demons and their families congregate in whatever city this is occurring in. They reserve all the parks and it's billed as the biggest party in the Underworld outside of the Underworld."

"Oh. Dear. God." Phoebe breathed. "You mean ALL of the demons will be in town?"

"Yes, nearly all, and their children. It's a big family event."

Piper nearly choked. Leo was making this sound good, and yet... He was hiding something. "What are you holding back?"

"Well, white witches and white lighters in the affected area are tasked with catering the event." Leo braced himself for the coming explosion.

Part Two

Cole shimmered just outside the high council chambers in the Underworld. He hadn't been down here in years. He inhaled the smell that was deeply Underworld – sulfur and brimstone. He basked in the heat that he hadn't felt in years. Aaaahhh. Wonderful. I haven't been this warm in so long.

"Belthazor!"

Cole turned sharply at the voice. It wouldn't do not to be too careful down here. He'd made enough enemies to last several lifetimes. But this wasn't one of them. Ikarian. His brood-mate. "Ikarian!"

They clasped arms and patted each other on the back. "Damn! Belthazor! You should be on the council yourself! Hell! That mate of yours could---"

Cole put a hand up to stop him. He knew what they were suggesting and he'd never do it. "No. Ikar. I'm sorry I just can't do it anymore. I'm only down here because of the Godzilla Fest. What a party. Damn! When was the last one?"

"Well, I remember seeing you at Okinawa in 1975. That was a great show."

"Yeah, three monsters at once. Although, that puppy was damn silly." Cole snorted.

Ikarian nodded, motioning Cole towards the high council chamber. Not too long ago, Cole ruled this room as the Source. Now, he was just an observer. Not even that, really. Any other day, he'd have been killed if he tried to come down here. But not today. This was a time for all demons. He was still trying to convince Willow to let the children come. But she seemed to think it wasn't a good idea. Still, some of the best memories he had were at these monster parties. He turned his attention to the council. Ikarian was an attendant. Good for him! Not much farther and he'll be seated at the table.

"Balthazor."

Cole turned to face the head of the high council and bowed in respect. Yet not quite low enough to signify obeisance. It wouldn't do for them to get the wrong idea. "Lord Melchior. Greetings."

The demon known as Lord Melchior snarled with disgust at Cole. None of these demons had been here at the time of Cole's reign as Source. Of course that had been because of the Seer and the Charmed Ones' actions. But it didn't stop many of the demons from blaming Cole for the events that took the Grimoire from its home. Cole thought this was ridiculous. If the council hadn't been destroyed, none of these demons would be here today. So Cole just sneered in response. He had survived many threats on his life and was still here.

"Greetings, Balthazor. This is a great time to live in San Francisco. A great show is in store for us all. What do you think of the Americans?"

Cole shrugged. The Americans believed that their military could solve anything. It was going to be quite a show. He was looking forward to the beast proving them wrong. "Pride goeth before a fall. Lord Melchior."

Melchior narrowed his eyes at the way Cole distinctly refused to refer to him as My Lord. One day, they would bring this errant demon back into the fold, and then he would pay. Oh, yes. "I trust we will meet your children at the celebrations."

"I fear not. My mate is unsure of the security at the celebration. I believe that she wishes us to have a private celebration." Cole chuckled silently at the clamoring that broke out around the council chambers. He hadn't thought that would go over well. "However, I have not given up in the hopes that I may sway her. I'm sure you will all understand the danger of antagonizing a mate, especially a dark witch as powerful as my mate."

"Quite, quite." Melchior continued. "However, we have asked you to be our intermediary with the white witches and white lighters in the Bay Area. We had thought your previous... er... involvement would be useful."

Cole raised an eyebrow at the the word 'involvement.' "Of course, Lord Melchior. I would be honored to act as the intermediary. Has the Elders Council been informed?" Cole paused waiting for Melchior's assent. It would be useless to handle this until the Elders Council had informed the parties involved. "Very well, Lord Melchior, I will keep you informed. Are there any specific arrangements that are needed? Or will it be the standard celebration?"

"You've been to enough of these, Belthazor. You know what is needed. You are dismissed."

Cole nodded grimly and bowed. This WILL be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**

Charmed is the property of Aaron Spelling, Constance M Burge, and the WB; Buffy, the Vampire Slayer is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Godzilla is the creation of Inoshiro Honda and Eiji Tsurubaya and Toho Pictures.

**Summary: **

Godzilla is attacking San Francisco. What will the girls do? Cater the Underworld's biggest party, of course! The Charmed Ones, Leo, and other wicca and white lighters are meeting to plan the big party.

**Author's Note:**

Please read and review. I'm sorry this has taken so long to be written, but I guess I've been a little lazy of late.

**Chapter Two: The Assembly**

Part One

"Witches and White Lighters!" A deep voice boomed from the stage of P3. Piper had offered her club as a safe meeting place for the planning of the upcoming party. She still couldn't believe it! They, their fellow witches, and miscellaneous white lighters had to actually cater a party for demons! They had been fighting (and surviving, for that matter) demon attacks for over ten years – and now they were expected to feed and entertain them? It was ludicrous. But the Elders had spoken and here they were.

She looked up at the stage where the dark lighter who had spoken was. She looked at the white lighters assembled. They were all very nervous, and with good reason. The dark lighter, for his part, looked pleased at being able to make so many of his prey look that nervous. She turned to look at the other figure on the stage. It was a warlock. He was concentrating on, of all things, a PDA! Now, what does he put in that? His list of witches to kill?

All the witches and white lighters were now focused on the stage. They looked at the dark lighter expectantly. He smiled and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your attention. I am Drax and this is the warlock, Dracorus. We are the two minor members of the liaison triumvirate. The demon representative shall be here shortly and he will explain your duties in the upcoming days."

"And your duties?" Phoebe snapped.

The dark lighter and the warlock exchanged a look of disgust. The dark lighter sneered and bowed in a more exaggerated manner. "Ah, it is our former Queen, Dracorus. Do show some respect for the last Queen of the Underworld."

The warlock began to cackle wildly at this joke. The gathered crowd began to fidget nervously. Many of the white lighters were on the verge of orbing, when the warlock stopped suddenly. A small disturbance in the air was the only warning any of them had of the demon shimmering in. Many wondered who it would be. Would they recognize the demon? Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo exchanged a look nervously. They really didn't want to deal with someone who held a grudge.

The demon completed his shimmer. A sharp intake of breath was heard throughout the room, followed by a noticeable silence. The Halliwell sisters could hardly believe their eyes. For there, on the stage, had appeared Cole Turner, Phoebe's ex-husband. "Well, well. It appears introductions are not necessary."

Phoebe began to shake her head in despair. Oh, no, not again. She looked up into her ex-husband's eyes. Over the past year, since he had moved back to San Francisco, she and her sisters (and her nephews) had become friendly with Cole and his second wife. Willow was also a wicca, although not a white one. No, she was a dark witch. The girls had once witnessed what she was capable of, and they had no wish to see a repeat. Phoebe looked to her sisters, who were also in shock. Piper mouthed one word: WAIT.

Cole laughed to himself. He could really see them thinking. Am I evil? "For those of you who do not know me, my name is Cole Turner, or Belthazor. Personally, I prefer Cole. However, you may hear some of my former colleagues refer to me as Belthazor. I have been selected as the demonic liaison due to my former... shall we say, connections in the white wicca community. I would like to assure you... especially my ex-wife and her family... that I am not a demon in evil standing with the Underworld. I have agreed to do this as a favor to a friend and also for sentimental reasons. I have, myself, attended these celebrations in the past with great enjoyment."

"I want to assure you that no witch or white lighter has died from demonic or other evil at any previous celebration. The only deaths that did occur were by human or monster. We do not intend to deviate from this. The celebration is a very important social event in the demonic calendar. Now, are there any questions about the basic event before I get down to details?"

Cole looked around the room. Most of the white lighters would have been informed already of their place in this. They would've been given their orders by the Elders, and would not cause any problems. The witches, of course, were different. They were women and human... both led them to be much more independent than their white lighter counterparts. He looked at the Halliwells and offered a placating smile.

Piper decided to clear the air. "Well, I guess I'm confused. We've been fighting demons for years, and now we're just supposed to believe that they wish us no harm?"

Cole chuckled, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "No, Piper, of course not. It's not that the demons wish you no harm. It's more of the basic history of this celebration. Demons want to share the spectacle and glory of a creature as destructive as this causing havoc in the human world with their families. Much the same way that people chase tornados or watch a lightning storm. Now, the demons realized since the very first display in 1954, that they could only do this with the cooperation of witches and white lighters. Therefore, a contract was set up governing such arrangements. If not for this contract, a congregation of demons and their families would've been attacked by any forces for good in the immediate vicinity." Scanning the room, he made eye contact with all he could before he continued. "I will, of course, make this contract available for any that would like to review it. It was written in demonic, celestial, and Japanese. However, due to Godzilla's awkward arrival on the opposite side of the Pacific, I can make it available in English as well. Any more questions?"

A small voice could be heard from the opposite side of the room. "Excuse me." The witch who had spoke was a young blonde girl. She had short curly hair and was carrying a notebook. "Will the entire Underworld be coming?"

"Excellent question, Miss..." Cole looked to the warlock who referred to the PDA before whispering in his ear. "Kent. Now, of course, the whole Underworld will not be attending. For instance, Godzilla has attacked Japan several times; however, the last time I saw him was in Okinawa in 1975. Generally speaking, only demons with small children attend as well as a few other demons that are in the area at the time. I can't confirm at this time the correct number of demons, and other underworld personnel. I can, however, assure you that only upper-level demons, dark priests, and dark lighters are entitled to attend."

Phoebe mulled over this. That criteria left out warlocks and other lesser demons. As a former Queen, this actually encouraged her. The upper-levels were the most dangerous, but on the plus side, they were also the most disciplined. As were dark lighters. They generally only attacked white lighters and, as she recalled, only under orders. As for the dark priests, she didn't recall them ever attacking anyone. True, they were evil but generally non-aggressive. She took a deep breath and raised her hand.

Cole smiled as he looked at his ex-wife. He had seen the very thoughtful look she had had. "Yes, Phoebe?"

"I'm just a little curious. Under what circumstances, should we have to expect an attack? Can a dark lighter be near a white lighter and NOT attack? Also, upper-level demons tend to be very proud. I'd hate to think that one slip of the tongue and energy balls would be flying."

A soft chuckle came from the dark lighter on the stage and then a large white light as nearly all the white lighters orbed from the room. Cole sighed audibly. "Well, well, well, Mr. Wyatt. I am very impressed. I'd heard you had backbone."

Leo looked the dark lighter who had just spoken right in the eye. He smiled coolly as he spoke. "Well, I did have an upper-level demon for a brother-in-law. I learned not to be so jumpy."

"Well, Leo, if that's case, would you mind retrieving your jumpy colleagues? I would like to finish this as I promised my wife I'd be home for dinner." Leo nodded and orbed out. "As for your question, Phoebe, I will answer it – but perhaps I should wait for the others?"

Phoebe chuckled and nodded. Well, she'd always heard orbing was a fear response. She was about to open her mouth, when the blonde witch with the notepad spoke up. "Sir? Just out of curiosity, I've heard that orbing is a fear response. What is shimmering?"

Cole raised his eyebrow at the forward young woman, who once again had her pencil raised above the pad. Hmmm. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was a journalist and not a witch. He looked again at the warlock. "Dracorus? Are you sure this young lady is a witch? I feel like I'm being interviewed by the press."

The girl chuckled. "Oh! I guess you are. Do you want to see my press card? I'm a freelance journalist, Chloe Kent. Only found out about the witch thing a few years back. Do you mind answering the question?"

Cole shook his head in exasperation. Well, it takes all kinds. "Shimmering would probably be considered a desire response. You will find that most things a demon, or even a warlock or dark lighter, would do would be considered a response to desire. Except perhaps throwing an energy ball or fire, that would be an aggressive response." He looked to his companions on the stage, who both nodded their heads in agreement. He started to open his mouth to continue when a bright blue-white light filled the room announcing the re-appearance of the white lighters. "Ah, now that you're back, can we continue?"

The white lighters nodded their heads sheepishly. Leo groaned. White lighters liked to think they were better than the Underworld creatures, and they were really. However, he did get embarrassed to see them reacting like so many scared cats. He looked at Cole and shrugged helplessly, and was heartened to see his ex-brother-in-law smiling sympathetically at him. "Excellent. Now as Ms. Halliwell had asked before the mass orb interrupted me, when can you expect an attack? Number one, the chances of a dark priest attacking are pretty much nil. However, they may get cranky. As a rule, they are among the oldest of the Underworld's population and quite intolerant of stupidity and ignorance. So, your best bet is not to speak until spoken to. I would imagine most of the Underworld follows that same rule of thumb as well."

Laughter was heard throughout the room as the dark lighter and warlock laughed at his suggestion. A few titters from the witches were also heard, relaxing the tension in the room significantly.

"Next, the dark lighters. A good thing to remember about dark lighters is that they are predators and hunters basically. Unlike demons who are out for the kill, a dark lighter receives his primary thrill and pleasure from the hunt itself. Therefore, if you don't give them a reason for a chase, you should be perfectly alright. Other than that, dark lighters have most of the same motivations and responses as a human. Additionally, the dark lighters will not have their children at this celebration and the dark lighters present will not be armed."

"Thirdly, we come to the upper-level demons. Those of you dealing with them at the celebration will be more likely to run into problems. Demons are proud and dislike being insulted. However, I believe the biggest threat will be from the mothers. Like any other mother, animal or human, our mothers are also extremely protective of their young. If any of the mothers sense a threat, they will respond – violently. I'm sure any of the mothers in the room can agree with that response. But, I do need to warn you that the children, themselves, may attack. They are being told not to, however, kids will be kids. Understand?"

Piper thought about this. That made sense, and she could hardly fault even a demon mom for protecting her kid. "Cole? Just how old are the kids? And does a demon kid's development follow a human timeline?"

Cole smiled at this. "For obvious reasons, I'm not going to tell you about the development of a demonic child. It would not be in my or the Underworld's best interests. However, I will tell you that, like human children, every demonic child is different. And, the children should be between the ages of 3 and 7. After the eighth year, children are taken from their mothers and placed in a faction for training."

Piper nodded. Well, that made things a little easier. She hadn't been looking forward to seeing a bunch of infants or demons in the terrible twos. Also, she really didn't want to see a demon on hormones. She and her sisters were bad enough as teenagers. She looked around at her fellow witches and the white lighters. They all really needed a break. Everyone, except (of course) Cole and his two colleagues, were on pins and needles. "Cole, would it be alright to take a break before we go on? I made some refreshments and, of course, drinks are on the house."

A general twittering of laughter spread across the room. Cole joined in, nodding his head. "That's an excellent idea, Piper."

Part Two

Piper surveyed the room. Everyone was seated with drinks and talking amongst themselves. The dark lighter and the warlock had helped to serve drinks. That had really surprised her. She hadn't expected to, well, like them. But they were very polite and surprisingly friendly. It really threw her. She didn't like thinking of demons, warlocks, and dark lighters as people. It was much easier to think of them as pure evil. It was quite disturbing to actually identify with them.

Paige was having the same strange experience. Unlike her fellow white lighters, she wasn't as skittish around the dark lighter. In fact, if he hadn't have been a dark lighter, she was sure she would've flirted with him. (That is, if her feelings hadn't already been engaged.) He was very good-looking and very funny. It was all so surreal.

Cole kept on looking at his watch. He had promised Willow he'd be home in time for dinner. And he meant to keep that promise. Giles also wanted to discuss the home schooling he had been planning. It was a brilliant scheme, really. He had never wanted his children to attend public school. Too many potential disasters. And Giles would be a perfect teacher. He looked up and scanned the room. Have to speed this up.

He stood up and cleared his throat. "Witches and white lighters!" He announced, looking around to see if he had everyone's attention. "Thank you. I'm sure we have all been pleasantly surprised by Mrs. Halliwell's generosity today. However, we do need to move on. The planning for the event must continue. Now, I am only going to give you general guidelines for the celebration. You will have free range to plan as you will. Any questions before I continue?"

Looking around, he saw no hands. He looked at the young witch, Chloe, She was listening intently. He really did feel as if he needed to worry about an article turning up in the Chronicle or the Mirror. Shaking his head slightly, he turned his attention to his ex-wife and her sisters. They were looking expectantly at him, Piper was raising an eyebrow.

"Excellent. Now, the celebrations will start with a parade and there will also be fireworks. The Underworld will take care of this. However, we would like you to provide games and entertainments. Mainly for the children. Also..."

"Games? I don't even want to know what kind of games little hellions play!" A voice screamed out in outrage.

Cole gasped at the sound of the very familiar voice. Looking around the witches, he saw that Piper and Phoebe were looking around in shock as well. He scanned on the white lighter side and there she was. "Prue?"

"Prue!" Phoebe and Piper screamed out and ran over to their sister. They jumped onto her and hugged her fiercely. "What are you---"

"Excuse me!" Cole shouted out. "I do have plans this evening. And, I don't want to tell my wife I was late for dinner because my **ex-wife** got excited."

Phoebe and Piper jumped back at Cole's announcement. The last thing they wanted to do was irritate Willow Turner. Prue looked at them, and was surprised to get a very shamefaced look from her sisters. She started to open her mouth when they shook their heads at her.

"Well, well, Prue. Amazing to think of you as a white lighters. Aren't they supposed to be understanding and compassionate?" Cole smiled and nearly stepped back at Prue's hostile glare. "Anyway, let's continue. I can give you some examples of previous games. Still, in the end, it's up to you to organize them. The games will mainly be for the children. However, it would be nice to find some entertainment for the adults as well. But, that isn't required. Games, in the past, have included a dunk the witch booth, and a white lighter shooting gallery."

He smiled at the shrieks of outrage. "Now, now. The children have low voltage energy balls. Besides, it's not as if I suggested that the dark lighters be the shooters. Also, it's up to you. Apart from the demons, there will also be a few select dark lighters and dark priests in attendance. Now, as for the catering, a rule of thumb to remember is that demons like hot and spicy food, raw flesh, both animal and human, and chocolate. Any combination of these items should be acceptable. I'm sure that a chef of Mrs' Halliwell's caliber could come up with some excellent treats. The demons will provide their own liquor. However, the mothers would appreciate some drinks for the children. Any questions?"

"Cole, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but... I mean, how the hell will I feed that many demons!" Piper screamed in frustration and indignation.

Cole chuckled. "Piper, Piper, Piper. I have complete faith in you. However, that is the end of the overview. I'll leave you know to fine tune your plans. Drax and Dracorus will remain and help you organize and liaise with the Underworld. If there's anything that involves me, they will get in touch with me immediately. Thank you for your attention. Good luck." And, with that, Cole shimmered out.

"No! Damn him!" Piper screamed. "He can't just dump this on us and run off! You two! Go get him!"

Drax raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "You cannot command us. And you have no authority over a demon of Balthazor's bloodline."

"AAAARGGH!" She screamed in response.

The room erupted into high commotion as the separate witches and white lighters started speaking and arguing amongst themselves. Dracorus leaned back against the wall, smiling, remembering prior gatherings like this one. They, too, had ended in such an uproar. But, he had high hopes for the celebration. His father had told him of prior celebrations and he was looking forward to this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**

Charmed is the property of Aaron Spelling, Constance M Burge, and the WB; Buffy, the Vampire Slayer is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Godzilla is the creation of Inoshiro Honda and Eiji Tsurubaya and Toho Pictures.

**Summary: **

AU Crossover between the Charmed, Buffy, and Godzilla universes. While the witches and white lighters make the preparations for the Underworld's Godzilla celebration, Willow has some problems at home.

**Author's Note:**

I had originally not planned to put the Turner family in this story. However, Ben and Buffy nagged me so badly about putting them in, that I gave in just to shut them up.

Please feed the author.

**Chapter Three: Mother Vs Son**

Part One

"But, **_Mom_**! Willow cringed as she heard Ben's voice for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. She stiffened, the frustration building within her. What happened to the darling little boy she used to have? When did he get to be so stubborn and willful? She looked up from packing to see Ben glaring at her from the doorway of their bedroom with his little hands on his hips, his eyes flashing. It was enough to make her laugh. However, she was rapidly running out of patience with Ben.

"Benjamin Cole Turner!" She snapped in anger. She felt the power surging within her. She froze and took a deep breath. She never wanted to be even slightly tempted to use her magicks against her children. It frightened her that she might even be capable of that. "Ben. My decision is final. I do **not** want my children playing with demons. End of story."

Ben bristled in frustration, and even a little anger. She had to listen to him. She had to! "Mom! **I'm** a demon!"

His mother closed her eyes and sighed. "You are only a quarter demon. Your father is only half demon. You are not going. **We** are not going."

"Momma, please. I mean, you've been all bad and dark and stuff. I've seen you! It's not fair! I want to go! I want to watch Godzilla! It'll be cool!" He pleaded. He grabbed at his mother's hand. He heard his mother gasp in shock at his words, and he knew he had gone too far.

Willow stumbled back at his words. She hated the fact that her son had actually seen her dark. And, now he was using that as a reason why she should expose him and his sister to such evils. She had fought demons for so long. She didn't want to think of them in any positive way. And she sure as hell didn't want her children to have any fuzzy feelings for them.

"Momma, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it! I didn't! I just want--"

"I know what you want, Ben, but we don't always get what we want. And, you're just going to have to be disappointed. Now, why don't you go see Grandpa? It must be time for your lesson."

"But--" Ben started and froze at his mother's look. She glared at him and pointed him to the door. It was no good. There was no changing her mind. Maybe Daddy could help. Or even Grandpa. If he could convince Grandpa, he was sure that Grandpa would be able to talk to Momma. He nodded quietly and left his parent's bedroom.

Willow sat heavily down on the bed and held her face in her hands. _Oh, dear Goddess. He's only five, what am I going to do when he's a teenager? _She shuddered at the thought. She took a few ragged breaths and laid back on the bed, praying for strength. _Maybe, I shouldn't have had children. No one told me it would be like this._ She giggled at the thought. _Sure they did, they all warned me that raising partially demonic children would be full of problems. But, now it doesn't seem that the powers or the magicks are the problem. It's his personality._

Part Two

Giles looked up to see Ben shuffling into his study. The boy was definitely in a mood. He was slouching and was dragging his feet as he came into the room. Looking into his eyes, he saw that his grandson was in a very surly mood. He chuckled. It reminded him very much of the look he would see in Buffy's eyes. Oh, yes. He was very familiar with this mood.

"Grandpa!" He looked up again to see Ben's eyes flashing dangerously. He could see the cool blue eyes flashing with fire. _Hmmm. The demon within, no doubt._ Giles always knew he had to be careful when it came to this facet of Ben's nature.

"Sorry, Ben. I wasn't really laughing at you. I was thinking about how you remind me of your Aunt Buffy sometimes."

Ben wrinkled his forehead as he thought about this. Well, that wasn't so bad. But, how he reminded Grandpa of Aunt Buffy was really a mystery. Now, if he'd said he reminded him of Dad, that wouldn't be so bad. He started giggling. "Grandpa, don't be silly."

Giles laughed along with Ben. "Sorry, Ben. So, why are you so cheesed off?"

Ben wrinkled his face at his grandfather. He must be talking British again, it was so difficult to understand. "I haven't had any cheese today, Grandpa. What are you talking about?"

Giles sighed in defeat. Of course, he wouldn't understand. The boy was being raised as an American. And, of course, Willow was an American. Cole, too, he supposed. "Cheesed off is a British phrase, Ben. It means you are angry or upset about something. I think your mother would use the phrase 'pissed off'. Now why don't you sit down and tell me what's going on? Or should we go to straight to the reading lesson? Did you look at that book I gave you?"

Ben climbed up on the chair across from his grandfather and shrugged. "I guess so. Can we talk instead? I'm really... well, cheesed off at Mom."

"Indeed. I can see that. But why?" Giles asked, smiling at his grandson.

"She won't let us go to the Godzilla party." Ben spat out angrily.

"Ben, Ben, anger won't help. Not at all. Nothing good ever came out of anger. Anger is probably one of the reasons she doesn't want you to go."

He wrinkled his nose at his grandfather. That didn't make any sense at all. "No, Grandpa, that's not it. She doesn't want us around demons. Which is silly, we're demons! Well, you and mom aren't, but me, Buffy, and Daddy are."

"Well, yes, there is that. But, what I mean about anger is that demons listen to their anger, they respond to it, they act on it. Ask your father about that. However, you and your sister, and your father, aren't just demons. You're also human. Your mom doesn't want you to learn the wrong type of things from the other demons. They're being raised to do evil, to want to kill, to want to hurt. Your mom wants better things from you and your sister. She's just worried and a little bit afraid, Ben, that's all. She's not trying to keep anything from you." Giles paused to look at the reaction in Ben's face. The boy was looking very pensive. He was like that, Giles reflected. He was like his father, a planner.

"Well, I guess so. I still want to go, Grandpa. I promise I won't be evil. If you guys are with us, it'll be okay. Anyway, what about Daddy?"

Giles frowned. What about Cole? He certainly wouldn't be any help with Willow. He always sided with her, even if he disagreed with the decision. The only time he put his foot down was when he believed the children's or Willow's safety was at stake. "What about Daddy, Ben?"

"He'll get to go, won't he? Even if we don't?" Giles fell back in his chair as he felt Ben's blue eyes on him. He sighed in resignation, knowing that there was no way around it. He would just have to tell Ben the truth.

"Yes, Ben, he probably will. He'll have to make sure the witches and the demons don't get into any trouble."

"But..." He began, and then hung his head and growled. He jumped at the sound. He looked up at his grandfather, and smiled weakly. "Sorry, Grandpa."

Giles chuckled. He knew that Ben could never truly be bad. The potential, he supposed, was there. However, he really didn't believe it could ever really happen. "Don't worry, Ben. It's part of you, you needn't apologize for it."

Ben smiled and nodded. He knew Grandpa had fought evil things all his life. Vampires, demons, and other terrible things. He wondered why Grandpa didn't mind that he and Buffy and Daddy were demons. Shouldn't he hate anything that was even part demon? He was just happy that Grandpa loved them anyway.

"Ben?" He looked up when Grandpa started talking to him.

"Yeah, Grandpa? Did you want me to get my book?"

"No, Ben, I was just thinking. If you want something bad enough, you should try and get it. Have you done everything?"

Ben looked at his grandfather suspiciously. He was acting like he was on his side. He didn't get it. He should be telling him not to go. Instead, he seemed to be trying to help. He frowned.

Giles laughed, a loud, boisterous laugh. "Ben, Ben. I don't automatically always side with your mother. I try to make the right decision for the situation. Your mother is reacting from fear and worry. I, however, am looking at this objectively, I hope."

"Ob- what?"

"Objectively. That means I haven't decided if you should or shouldn't go. Like a judge who is deciding if someone is guilty or innocent. He's not allowed to be on one side or the other. He decides once he hears both sides of the argument. Now, I know your mother's side. What you need to do is try and convince me why you should go. Understand?"

Ben's eyes grew wide at the words. The anger and frustration he'd been feeling all day just melted out of his heart, replaced by hope and gratitude. He began to open his mouth to try and convince Grandpa, when he placed a hand up.

"No. Not now, Ben. I'll give you thirty minutes to prepare your case. Just like your dad prepares a case for a judge, right?"

Ben nodded happily, grabbing some paper and a pencil. He was still learning to write, but he felt he needed to put some of his case on paper. If he couldn't write the words, he could always draw pictures of his reasons.

Part Three

Cole shimmered into his bedroom to find his wife asleep on the bed. She looked drained, exhausted. On the other side of the bed, a case was half packed. She had decided to take Giles and the children to Toronto until this Godzilla thing was finished. It wasn't what Cole really wanted, but he understood and he would stand by her decision. He knelt next to her and smoothed the hair out of her face. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the temple. He didn't want to wake her.

He stood back up and walked quietly to the door. He'd just reached down for the handle when he heard her. "Cole?"

He turned back to her and smiled warmly. "Darling, I didn't mean to wake you. I was just going to check on the children."

Willow blinked wearily and sat up against the headboard of her bed. She shuddered at the mention of children. She really didn't want to deal with Ben again. Why couldn't he just listen to her?

Cole frowned as he looked at Willow. "Will? What's going on? Are you upset with the kids? Did they do something?"

"Oh, Cole. What happened?"

Cole blinked in confusion. How would he know? He walked over to her and sat beside her on the bed. Gathering her up in his arms, he pulled her back so that her head was resting against his shoulder. "Baby, won't you tell me what you mean? Why are you so upset?"

She closed her eyes, inhaling through her nose to relax herself. "It's Ben. We've been fighting all day. What happened to my darling little man? He used to be so happy and willing to please. Now, he's all demands and anger."

He crooned to her as she started to weep. He suppressed a chuckle. Ben had obviously been a handful today. He'd fought with his mother. He imagined Willow had been a handful too. Still, she was upset. "Willow, darling. You don't want him to be a mama's boy, do you? Or a daddy's boy, for that matter. We want him to be a strong, independent human being. Right?"

He paused to look into her eyes as she turned her head to look at him. Her big green eyes were rimmed with tears, but now they were also full of something else. Understanding. Sorrow. Even a little guilt.

Cole reached under her chin and lifted her head. He bowed down and kissed her gently. "Honey, there's nothing to feel guilty about. Nothing. This is just another day in our life as parents. I'm sure there'll be much worse days. I dread the day my daughter discovers boys." He shuddered at the thought.

He smiled as he heard Willow giggle. He could feel the tension slipping from her body as she giggled. He laughed too, happy that Willow was happy.

"Daddy?" Cole looked up to see Buffy in the doorway. He smiled at her. Her riot of red curls was pulled up in a top knot and wrapped with a shiny gold ribbon.

"Yes, baby? What is it?"

"Grandpa wants you guys in his room. He wants to have a... a... earing, I think he said."

"An earring?" Willow repeated. "That's ridiculous. He wouldn't wear an earring."

"No, mama. He said earing. He's going to judge something."

Cole shook his head in disbelief. "You mean a hearing, baby?"

She nodded her head happily. She rushed forward and grabbed her parents' hands. "C'mon, c'mon. Grandpa and Benny are waiting!"

Cole and Willow had started to get up and go with her when suddenly a strange sound was heard from outside. It was the sound of some kind of animal calling out. It was a strange noise that Willow had never heard before. She grabbed Buffy to her and looked to Cole. Cole, for his part, had a strange expression on his face. He was disturbed or frightened at all. But, the truth was, Cole was rarely frightened. His expression, this time, was one of nostalgia and anticipation.

"Don't worry, he's still out in the Bay. That was the sound of Godzilla."

Part Four

They found Giles sitting behind his desk. Ben was in a chair pulled over to one side of the room. There was another chair on the opposite side of the room. There were other chairs, too, but they were on the side of the room behind a small desk. Cole surveyed the room critically. It had been set up just like a courtroom. And it looked like Giles had set himself as judge. Ben, obviously, was one of the plaintiffs. He and Willow were presumably the other plaintiff. What, however, was the judgment deciding?

"So, Giles. Have we been subpoenaed and I just don't remember it?" Cole asked pleasantly.

"Not at all. This is a judgment considering the decision on whether or not the children should be allowed to attend the GodzillaFest celebrations..."

"NO! I SAID NO AND I MEAN NO!" Willow erupted, making Cole jump.

"See, Grandpa?" They heard Ben call out from his seat. Cole looked at his son and suppressed a laugh. He was rolling his eyes at his mother, and he was obviously very pissed off. What surprised Cole though, was how evident the demon was. It actually disturbed him a little. "I told you Mom was being--"

"Ben." Giles interrupted sternly. "You will have a chance to present your argument. Right now, you will respect the judge's chair. I don't want to have to charge you with contempt of court. Understand? I won't give you another warning."

Cole nearly choked as he watched his son shrink back in his chair at Giles' stern words. A few minutes before, he could actually see the demon within Ben struggling to emerge. More and more, his son's demonic heritage sprung forth. Even Willow had commented on it. Yet, a few words from his grandfather and the demon sank back down. "Yes, Gran-- your honor. I understand."

Willow was at a loss for words. _In the Goddess' name, what was going on? This wasn't a democracy after all. It's a family! A family's more of a monarchy, damn it!_ "Giles! What the hell is--"

"Willow. Willow. Please calm down. Yelling and cursing at me is not helping matters. Now, take a deep breath and have a seat." Giles glared at Willow and pointed her towards the lone chair in the opposite corner of the room from her son. "Now, Cole, as you will be an expert witness, you may sit next to the bailiff."

Cole eyes looked to where Giles was now pointing. _Bailiff?_Giles was pointing to the two chairs in the corner of the room. On one of the chairs, Buffy was sitting happily with a book on her lap. She waved at him and patted the chair next to her. Obviously, that was where he was meant to sit. He sighed and strolled over and sat down. Smiling down at his daughter, he nodded towards Giles. "So, baby, what--"

"Shush, Daddy! You go to court all the time. You should know the rules." She glared at him, then blushed as she looked at her grandfather. "I'm sorry, your honor."

"Very well, bailiff." Giles nodded at Buffy. "Well, let's get started. Okay?"

Buffy jumped off her chair and walked to the center of the room. She came to a stop in front of Giles' desk. She cleared her throat and looked at Willow and Ben. "Ten-shun! I now call this... um..."

She looked at her grandfather for help. She really didn't know what **it** was. Grandpa looked at her and smiled. "A hearing, Buffy."

"Right. I call this hearing to begin. The honorable Grandpa Giles is judging." Buffy paused and glared when Cole chuckled. He paled and shrunk back in his seat. She was just so serious. Like this was an actual courtroom. As a matter of fact, she'd probably be more intimidating than most bailiffs he was acquainted with. She reached into a large bag on the floor underneath the desk and pulled out a small American flag. "Okay, all rise to say the pledge of legions."

Giles and Ben rose immediately, placing their hands on their hearts. Willow and Cole exchanged a look of disbelief. Cole was quite amused by the whole circumstance; however, it was getting to be a bit much for Willow. She leapt to her feet in outrage. "Now, hold everything! This is completely ridiculous and I am not going to put up with it anymore. I--"

"Quiet!" Cole gasped and Willow collapsed backwards into her chair in shock. The voice that silenced them hadn't been Giles, as Cole had expected. It had been Buffy. Happy little Buffy. Cole shook his head involuntarily, trying in vain to dispel this bizarre alternate universe he'd stumbled into. "Mommy, if you don't behave, we'll have to... um... um... make you behave. We'll have to tie you up or gag you."

Thus silenced, Willow collapsed in defeat. This whole day was quite a trial. She just couldn't believe what had happened to her children. Why were they acting this way? Maybe, just maybe, it was a bad dream and she would wake up soon. She could only hope.

"Well, now that we've got your attention, shall we continue?" Giles asked pleasantly, with a chuckle in his voice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**

Charmed is the property of Aaron Spelling, Constance M Burge, and the WB; Buffy, the Vampire Slayer is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Godzilla is the creation of Inoshiro Honda and Eiji Tsurubaya and Toho Pictures.

**Summary**

AU Crossover between the Charmed, Buffy, and Godzilla universes. Giles is holding a hearing on whether or not the Turner children can attend the Godzilla Fest celebration as Willow fumes and Cole is amused.

**Author's Note**

Thank you for all your patience with me for this chapter. It seemed to be much harder than I thought it would have been.

**Chapter Four: The Hearing**

Part One

Willow was furious. More than furious. Incensed. Enraged. No word was really describing the flame simmering within. She made a quick glance at her husband. Why wasn't he putting his foot down? Her eyes narrowed as she kept a hold on her temper. A feat that was becoming more difficult with every minute. By the Goddess! This was infuriating! She was the mother! She was the head of this family! In Hecuba's name, this had gone too far!

Cole shuddered underneath his wife's gaze. This whole situation was really very amusing, but Giles had better take care. He knew better. Willow's maternal instincts became more demonic with every child she had born for him. He knew that regardless of her humanity, that some of his blood flowed in her veins. A demoness' hormones were produced in her glands. He smiled weakly at his wife. He knew that, in the maternal sense, she was a demoness, with a demoness' instincts and passions. He spared a glance at Giles. He was ignorant of the danger. He was sitting at the desk calmly, smiling at the two children.

Ben was sitting stiffly, fuming. His sister, however, was cheerfully standing next to her grandfather holding an American flag. Didn't they feel the tension in the room? He tried not to chuckle. If this had happened in the Underworld, if Willow and he had raised their children down There, this would have been answered by violence. Willow would not have brooked any argument. By the Great Mother! He would never have chanced it with his mother. And he wouldn't have survived it if he had.

He looked again at his wife. **_Willow... darling..._**

Willow looked up sharply at her husband's thoughts. Her eyes narrowed as she projected her anger and fury at him. **_What! THIS should not be happening, HUSBAND. Why don't you do something? Why is Giles challenging me?_**

Cole shuddered at the inflection in the word Husband. Hell and damnation, this is going too far and too fast. He may have to stop this hearing. But he didn't want to. He glanced at his son quickly. It wasn't just the demon in Willow he was concerned about. He could see the fire growing in his son. He needed to deal with Ben's feelings or they may just fester into something he couldn't deal with. **_Darling, please... I don't think he means to challenge you. I certainly don't. I understand, the children should know better. But maybe..._**

_**Maybe NOTHING! There is no halfway here, Cole! I am not---**_

_**Willow! Baby, I just mean that we need to deal with Ben's feelings... It doesn't mean that your decision won't stand. I just think we need to let Ben air his feelings. Please, understand.**_

Giles sat quietly watching the two of them. They were obviously having a private discussion. Cole would be surprised to discover just how much Giles did know. It was one of the main reasons he came to live with them and the children. He understood the danger inherent in Willow. But it was all the more reason for him to continue with this hearing. He wanted this family to operate as a human family. The instant they started reacting as demons, they would be on a downhill slope.

"Willow, dear," Giles began, pausing for both Willow and Cole to disengage from their private conversation. "I am not here to usurp your authority." He turned as he heard a small cough from Ben's chair. "Yes, Ben. Usurp means to challenge or take someone's power or control from them. Do you understand?" He watched as Ben appeared to think about this and nodded his agreement before he continued. "As I was saying, I am just here to let both Willow and Ben state their case. This household cannot exist at this level of suppressed anger, frustration, and hostility." Giles paused once again as Ben's hand shot up. He sighed. "Yes, Ben?"

"What is suppressed, Grandpa?" Ben's eyes darted to his younger sister as she coughed loudly. "I mean, your honor, your honor."

Giles' eyes twinkled with amusement. "That's alright, Ben. You can interrupt at any point if you don't understand something. Just remember to do it politely. Now suppressed means that something is being smothered or trapped and can't get out." Ben nodded and Giles opened his mouth to speak.

"_Your honor_," Willow intoned ominously, "Does that mean my decision stands?"

"Yes, Willow." Giles agreed as Ben growled under his breath. "However, I would like you to keep an open mind during the proceedings. Please agree that you will consider changing your mind. Also, I would like you to promise not to interrupt Ben's statement. You will have a chance to ask him questions, you will also be able to make your own statement supporting your case. Do you understand?"

Willow let out a huge sigh and nodded her head. "Yes, Giles, I'm sure that's fair." (Cole didn't realize just how long he'd been holding his breath until that moment. In fact, he realized that he'd been halfway to a shimmer the whole time waiting for the eruption.)

"Very well," Giles took a deep breath and continued. "First of all, both Willow and Ben will make a short statement supporting their case and explaining why their decision is the correct one. These must be short statements. Remember that. Then, I will question our expert witness, Cole Turner, about this event. Then, I will ask Willow and Ben any questions I may have. Willow and Ben can then ask **polite** questions from each other. These questions cannot be construed as personal attacks, understand? Then, we will take a break and I will make my decision."

There was a sharp gasp from Willow. Giles chuckled and put one hand up. "My decision, Willow, will not be binding. As I said, this hearing is only to give Ben a chance to hear your concerns, and for you to hear his. However, I will make a decision of my own."

Willow relaxed and nodded. "Good," Giles went on. "Now I think we will bypass the pledge and go straight to the statements. Buffy, will you swear your mother in?"

Cole let all that tension go out of his body as he watched and, more importantly, felt his wife relax. Now he could sit back and enjoy this farce. As a lawyer, he was really enjoying this. But, as a husband, he was definitely not comfortable. As a father, though, this was a treat. He turned as Buffy rose and set a book in front of her mother and swore her mother in. Actually, he could almost see Willow swear in the other sense of the word under her breath. Now a different sort of tension filled his chest. The kind of tension you get when you were stifling laughter. This was definitely going to be a long day. He shook his head in disbelief at the whole arrangement.

"Yes, Cole?" Giles interrupted his train of thought. "Do you have something you need to say before we get started."

"Oh! Sorry, Giles, no. Although, I may be interrupted by witches, warlocks, or demons at any time."

Giles nodded his head, and turned his attention to a very angry and hostile Willow. "Willow, thank you for your forbearance and patience. Please make your statement."

Willow barely smothered a snarl and took a deep breath. Unlike Ben, she had not had a chance to prepare her statement. She knew what to say, though. It was how to say it that bothered her. This whole situation was ridiculous, but she was beginning to realize what Giles was doing. He wasn't trying to persecute her. He was trying to help Ben work through this without having the demon come out. That didn't mean that she wasn't still mad as a hornet! She did understand, but it seemed to just make her madder. She took another deep breath to calm herself. Looking from Giles to Cole (who was far too amused for her liking) to Ben (who looked nearly as upset as she felt), she decided to just move on.

"Very well. I realize watching a fire-breathing monster trash the downtown and waterfront sectors might be quite a lot of fun – especially from a little or big boy's point-of-view – I have very serious objections to this. I am not against this because it IS fun. I just don't want for my children to be subjected to demons at this stage in their life. I know Ben thinks he's a big kid now, but he is still very impressionable. I really don't want him to start thinking of demons as being people too."

She paused at the sound of a sharp gasp of outrage from Ben and his father. Glaring at them, she continued. "Present company excepted, of course. But, Ben and Buffy have not been raised in the Underworld. They were not raised to serve the forces of evil nor to learn 101 ways to kill a human being."

At this point, Cole couldn't hold in yet another chuckle. "Begging your honor's pardon, but I think I know more than 101 ways to kill a..."

"Cole!" "Daddy" The room erupted in outrage.

Willow coughed and drew in another breath. "I'm sure you do, _husband_." Cole shuddered at the ice in her tone. He might end up sleeping on the couch tonight, or even in the rat cage. "As I was saying, I have objections. Number one is safety. I'm not entirely sure as to the safety at this ... um ... celebration. Even if everyone were human, a celebration of this size might still be a little too much for two small children who aren't even of school age. But the people at this party won't be human. They'll be demons! Things will happen. Dangerous things. My main concern is to protect my children." She paused and looked little Buffy and Ben in the eye. "You may think I'm being mean, but I love you two very much."

She took some time to take some deep breaths to calm herself. Losing her temper, while satisfying, would not really help this situation. She looked at her children again and was happy to see them smiling at her. "To continue, in the second place, I'm very worried about having my children meeting and becoming friendly with demons, even if they are children themselves. Your father and I ... and, of course, your grandfather... try every day to make sure that you grow up to be good citizens... good people. I am always afraid that one day you'll come to serve evil... and, maybe.. maybe... your Aunt Buffy or another Slayer or even a witch may have to fight and kill you. And Goddess forbid! What if your father or I had to fight you!"

Cole heart contracted as Willow collapsed into tears, her face in her hands. He decided to risk being found in contempt of court and rushed forward to pull her into his arms. He never thought that Willow would ever voice that fear. He knew that she feared that particular nightmare. By the Abyss, he did as well. What's more, he feared their entire family turning over to that side. As he held her, he looked at his daughter. Little Buffy. He could never imagine her doing anything evil. She looked into his eyes, her little eyes filled with tears.

As Willow let herself cry, she suddenly felt her hand being grasped between Ben's little hands. "Mama, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I don't want to be evil. I promise you and Daddy and Aunt Buffy won't have to fight me. I promise!"

She pulled out of Cole's arms and knelt next to her son. Looking into his large eyes, she saw that they were wet with unshed tears. She smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Oh, Ben, I know you don't want to. It's just sometimes it's hard to resist the power. Really, both Mommy and Daddy have had problems."

Part Two

"Well, now that we've had our break, we can continue." He smiled as he saw Willow's head shoot up at his words. Ben straightened up and eased himself back to his seat. "Yes, Willow, I said continue. I think that it's important that we let Ben speak. His opinion is important, don't you think?"

Willow frowned. She really thought that this had been settled. She sighed and nodded her head in agreement. This had to be a bad, bad dream. Surely this couldn't really be happening.

Ben began to speak. "Thank you. I--"

"Hell!" Cole exclaimed as he felt the first tinglings of a call. Drax and Dracorus. They were calling him. "Sorry, Giles, Willow, kids. I've got to go. I'm being called." He ran over to his wife and kissed her, shimmering away.

"Well!" Giles exclaimed. "There goes our expert witness. Let's hope we don't need him."

Willow shrugged and turned to Ben. "Oh, well, Ben, let's finish this up, okay? My butt's getting numb."

Buffy and Ben giggled and smiled brightly at their mother. Ben nodded. "Okay. Why I want to go. I guess, number one, I want to see this Godzilla. He sounds really neat. Number two, I think it'd be nice to go to a party where we could do our magic and not have to worry about who saw us. It's always hard to hide what I am. What we can do. Also, I'd like to compare me and Buffy with other demon kids. I wonder what they're like. Number three, I guess it'd be nice to go to a party. There'll be games .. and treats.. and fun stuff to do."

He took a deep breath and looked around the room to see how what he was saying was being taken. Good so far, Mama's not arguing. "Anyway, I know it could probably be dangerous. But, we did use to live in LA with Uncle Angel and Aunt Buffy, there were always slimy things attacking us there. We learned to take care of ourselves. Right, Buffy?"

Buffy nodded her head enthusiastically, but then stopped at a look from her grandfather. Obviously, not what a bailiff should be doing. She scooted back in her chair.

"Also, we will have supervision. There'll be Mama and Grandpa and Daddy, well, at least part of the time. There'll also be white witches and white lighters all over the place. And, I was thinking ... maybe..." Here he paused and looked a little nervously around the room. He had been very proud he'd though of it. "Maybe Aunt Buffy could come. No one would dare do anything if Aunt Buffy were around."

"To finish, I'd like to say that if I know that I'm around evil, I'd think it'd be easier to resist than if I was just at home and evil kinda snuck up on me." He exhaled loudly. There! He'd said it! It probably wouldn't do any good, but at least he'd got it out.

"Well put, Ben. Excellent." Giles exclaimed. "Well, I think there's a lot to think about. Yes, indeed. I think that both Ben and his mother have made very valid points. Now, are there any questions? Or do either of you want to say anything."

Ben fidgeted in his chair and then stood up. "I want to say that I'm sorry for being such a brat today. And that I'll do whatever Mama and Daddy think I should do. BUT – I would really, really like to see Godzilla."

Willow smiled and exhaled. She finally felt more like herself. The cold, black rage that had filled her all day had finally dispersed. Maybe everything will be alright. "Maybe, we can come up with something. How about... well, maybe a picnic. Somewhere we can see Godzilla and see what's going on at the celebration? Not right in the middle of things, but somewhere that Mama would feel safe. Hmm? What do **you** think Giles?" She laughed. "I mean, your honor."

Ben and Buffy rushed to their mother and hugged her fiercely. Giles leaned back, feeling quite satisfied and very, very smug.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**

_Charmed _is the property of Aaron Spelling, Constance M Burge, and the WB (or is that the CW?); _Buffy the Vampire Slayer _is the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy; and _Godzilla_ is the creation of Inoshiro Honda, Eiji Tsurubaya, and Toho Pictures. The characters of _Smallville _is the property of Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and the WB (CW?).

**Summary**

Halliwell Manor is full of sisters and white lighters. Paige and Prue eye each other uneasily. Paige has a secret for Xander. Prue drops her own bombshell. Piper is very stressed. Phoebe is attracted to a married man. Cole arrives with a problem that only the Elders can solve.

**Chapter Five: The Power of Four **

"So. You're our sister."

Paige looked up as she re-entered the room. She'd thrown up yet again. She really wasn't looking forward to everything, and she needed Xander. Prue was looking at her expectantly. She'd heard a lot about this sister. She felt quite out of sorts when finally facing her. Somehow it had been easier dealing with the ghost. She smiled weakly. "Hi."

"Yeah, hi." Prue wasn't sure about this half-sister. She really didn't want to like her. She felt that she was an interloper. What was more was she blamed her for Phoebe's heartbreak. If she hadn't been killed, if Paige had never been, would Phoebe and Cole have worked? She took a deep breath. If was such a dangerous word, it could get her in trouble. "Are you sick? You look a little green."

"Well, I--" Paige began. She spun as she was interrupted by Piper and Phoebe coming from the kitchen.

"Phoebe! Don't be ridiculous!" Piper spat out, as she exited the kitchen. Paige winced as she looked at the sister she'd looked up to since she'd entered the family. She was pale and there were lines underneath her eyes. She had been suffering from such stress since all this had started.

"Piper, I didn't mean anything." Phoebe followed her sister out of the kitchen. Paige noticed that she didn't look nearly as stressed. Looking at her, you'd never think that anything was going on. It was almost as if Piper shouldered all the responsibility for their family. It wasn't that they couldn't trust her or Phoebe to hold their own. "I just think Willow can help."

Paige's eyes opened eyes. _Yes! That would be perfect. She was married to a demon and she was Piper's friend and... _"Of course not! Phoebe, would you just think for a minute? This party is for upper-level demons and their families!" They all looked at Piper with varying degrees of confusion. "That means that Willow will be there."

"She will?" Prue and Paige asked nearly simultaneously. They looked at each other and laughed nervously.

Piper rolled her eyes. Sometimes she really worried about her sisters. It sometimes seemed to her that they really didn't think. It wasn't that they weren't smart. But sometimes they just didn't see things. "Jeez! Guys! Willow is the wife... the mate of a powerful upper-level demon... the mother of his children. You do remember a nasty demon, don't you? Name of Belthazor. Member of the Brotherhood of the Black Thorn. Hand-picked by the Source. That guy?" The entire room (except for Piper, of course) erupted in a large sigh of comprehension. "Besides, I'm not at all sure she wants to go at all. I'll bet she's going to try and skedaddle out of town."

Suddenly, Piper broke down into tears. Her three sisters rushed to her and pulled her into their arms. Prue had to suppress an urge to push the interloper of a new sister out of the way. Piper was her sister. They'd grown up together. Where the hell had this girl been? But, Piper needed all of them, so she'd decided to tolerate her.

"You can do this, Piper." Phoebe started. "I know it seems big. But this is probably one of those times where we can bypass some of those pesky 'no personal gain' rules. You know?"

"Yeah, I'm sure the Elders won't be so pesky. Then, there's the fact that you have every witch and white lighter west of the Mississippi on your side. Free help." Prue was impressed. Both Phoebe and Paige brought up great points.

"They're right. It's going to be alright. Just take a deep breath and..." Prue never got her sentence finished. At nearly the same time, two white lighters were orbing in. One was probably Leo, she thought. She narrowed her eyes to see who the second was. She really didn't want someone just orbing in and giving orders to Piper, making her even more upset than she was.

Leo finished his orb and was not too surprised to see his wife a basket case. He'd actually made a bet with Cole on how long it would take care to break down. He surreptitiously stole a glance at the wall clock. _Damn! Cole was going to win this bet! I hate it when he does that!_

He began to open his mouth to speak when he heard a squeal of delight. Paige had disengaged herself from her sisters, who had gone on the defensive at the sound of her scream. He turned to see Xander materializing in the room. _Of course._ _It's about time the boy showed up. _He watched as Paige threw herself at him.

Prue had thought they were being attacked. As soon as Paige leapt up, she had been ready to... Well, whatever it was former kick-ass witches and current defenseless white lighters did. Then she saw the expressions on Phoebe and Piper's faces. They were amused and were practically rolling her eyes. She turned to see Paige embracing the other white lighter that had orbed in. She narrowed her eyes. He sure looked familiar. She just couldn't place him. It's just too bad Andy wasn't here, but his charges were all on the other side of the country.

She sighed. Her sisters turned from watching Paige to her. Piper raised an eyebrow. She smiled. "Oh, it's nothing. I just miss Andy. Most of his charges are in Washington and New York. It's so bad, I even miss his Bash the El--- That's it!"

Everyone jumped at Prue's outburst. Even the two kissing across the room. Xander looked up from Paige – with regret – and smiled into Prue's eyes. "Hiya, Prue. How's Andy?"

"Hi, Xander." Prue laughed. "Oh, he was okay last I heard. Having problems with one of his charges."

Piper and Phoebe whooped. They swarmed Prue and jumped and down. "Yay! Prue's got a guy! Prue's got a guy! Prue's got a guy!" Prue blushed and tried to shut them up.

Leo smiled. "That's great, Prue. All's well that ends well. Right?"

"Yeah, Leo. I just wished we didn't both have to die first. A girl really doesn't have fantasies about wedding **after** death." She flinched as she heard yet another shriek from her sisters. "Sorry, I couldn't invite you. They've got these rules. Mom and Grams were there though."

"GRRRRR!!!" Phoebe spat out. "I could just kick those darn Elders!"

Prue laughed. "Maybe you should join Andy and Xander's group – the Bittees."

She turned at the laugh coming from Xander. "Nah, only white lighters are allowed."

"And **what** exactly is a Bittee?" Piper asked. She looked to her sisters, Paige and Phoebe, they too were curious. She stole a glance at her husband and was shocked to see he was distinctly uncomfortable. Looking at Prue, she saw that she was amused.

"The Bittees actually stands for BTE. Bash the Elders. Or Badmouth the Elders. Or..."

"Prue!" Leo exclaimed. "That is enough! We should show respect."

Xander snorted. "Ya got that wrong, Leo. I learned along time ago, you need to earn respect. I haven't met any Elders have done that in my point of view."

Leo groaned. He still really didn't understand. Why had the Elders even called this guy? He rolled his eyes, then noticed Xander smiling at him. He did like him though. He never really got offended, or held a grudge, and he was great with the boys. "Hey, sorry, Leo. I know it bothers you. All I can say is if you'd ever met or dealt with the Watchers' Council – you'd have issues too."

Paige had had enough. She needed some time with Xander. She had to tell him. She grabbed at his arm. "Xander, I need to talk to you. Please?"

Looking down at Paige, Xander smiled happily. It was hard to believe that such a pretty girl liked him. After being considered some kind of disease carrier all through high school, it still affected him. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. Looking around, he frowned. Where were the boys? He really should check on them before he dealt with personal issues.

"Leo? Where are the boys? I really should check on them first." He smiled down at Paige, hoping she'd understand. "Sorry, baby."

"Oh, they've gone camping with Morris' kids." Piper interjected. "He has an RV or something. So, they've gone down to Pinnacles. They figured that was far enough away." She froze as a large roar filled the air. The china hutch shook and several pictures fell off the wall. The creature was getting closer. It hadn't attacked yet. But it was only a matter of time. She wanted to think that it would be no problem for the military with all the hardware they had. But she wasn't sure. That's why she had jumped at the chance to get rid of the kids. If only she could've gone with them. "I hope."

Leo strode over to his wife and pulled her into his arms. He didn't blame her for being frightened. The creature frightened him too. He looked to Xander who was holding Paige and Phoebe – who'd jumped at the sound of the roar and buried her head into his shoulder. Yes, the thing frightened all of them. He'd seen a flash of blue-white light at the roar. Even Prue had orbed away. Scanning the room, he'd narrowed his eyes at Xander.

"Why aren't you frightened?"

Xander laughed, breaking the spell that had frozen the women. "Yeah, right. On graduation day, the Mayor turned himself into a giant demon snake and was going to eat the graduating class – **after** he made us listen to a speech on good citizenship. I've been attacked by a hell god and the First Evil. What's a giant radioactive lizard? As long as he's not packing dark lighter venom, what's to worry?" He looked down at Paige. She really didn't look well at all. Maybe he shouldn't have been so flippant. Leaning down he kissed her gently on the lips. "C'mon baby, let's go upstairs and you can tell me what's so important. Maybe you should lie down too, you don't look so good."

_**Later that day...**_

Leo glanced towards the stairs again. He was worried about Paige. He knew how complicated... how stressful a witch-white lighter relationship could be. Of course, Paige was half-white lighter so that should make it easier. Still, she was primarily a Charmed One. Still... "Why does it have to be so complicated?"

Phoebe looked up from the notes she had been making. "Because we're the Charmed Ones. I think there's some kind of rule that if being good is more complicated than evil." She had volunteered to help with handling the games. Prue had some friends come down and they were handling logistics. The Elders had even let Mom and Grams come down and they were helping quite a bit. They'd even had one of the witches from the meeting earlier in the week just dropped by to help with her hubby.

Phoebe had nearly drooled when faced with little Chloe Kent's very masculine and desirable husband, Clark. She nearly laughed out loud to hear that this gorgeous man had such a boring name. It made his sound like an accountant or a librarian or even an absent-minded professor. He was none of these things. And his wife was a real spitfire. She'd nearly attacked Phoebe when she'd seen her reaction to him. But, hell, she was only human wasn't she? Of course, it was really hard to seduce a guy that was holding a three-year old girl in his arms.

So, things had been progressing pretty well. Piper hadn't had a nervous breakdown yet. Leo and Xander hadn't come to blows. Paige and Prue hadn't come to blows. But she had never seen so many people in the Manor at one time. What's more she believed it had been the longest they'd ever gone without being attacked by demons. Maybe Godzilla should show up more often. No, that wouldn't be good. He scared her more than the Source ever had... more than evil Cole or Belthazor ever had.

She looked up as she saw her mother and one of the women Prue come in the room. "Joyce, I'm sure it's a good point. I'm just not sure how practical it is. Dealing with demons isn't as simple as you..."

The woman with her mother snorted loudly. "No, Patty, don't you go acting all superior on me. My daughter had her virginity taken by a vampire who then lost his soul and tried to destroy the world. I think I might be just a little more experienced than you think I am."

"She's got you there, Mama Halliwell." Xander laughed out loud as he orbed in the room. He had gone to check on the boys.

"Xander!" The woman exclaimed and rushed her nephews' white lighter. "It's so good to see you. Jenny! Jenny! Look who's here!"

Every one rushed out of the kitchen at that. Piper, Grams, and the other woman. Watching Xander, Phoebe was surprised to see him go completely pale. "Ms-- Ms. Callendar! Oh my God!" He went speechless as the woman ran over and hugged him.

"Why, Xander!" The woman called Jenny laughed. "You'd think that you thought I'd taken the down elevator."

He blushed and looked at his feet. "No. No. That's not it. It's just that Giles-- well, he lives just over-- he'd want to--"

Paige came in the room just to see her lover stammering at a rather pretty woman. She frowned. The woman took Xander's hand and got a rather sad look on her face. She knew Giles. This Jenny has obviously loved that rather funny little man. "No. Xander. They told me that I wasn't to see him or any of the others."

"But..." Xander didn't finish as the air started shifting. The witches and white lighters stiffened. No demons would dare attack, would they?

"Damn it!" Piper yelled. "How do they expect me to cater a party if they're going to--"

The demon shimmered into the room. Every one breathed a sigh of relief as they saw who it was. "Cole." Piper breathed. "Thank God."

Cole raised an eyebrow at his ex-sister-in-law. "You usually don't thank God for me." Laughter filled the room as the four sisters laughed together. He turned to Leo. "Leo, I've got a problem. I need the Elders to do me a favor. Did you know one of your White Lighters is living in the Underworld?"


End file.
